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[Old Codger]

I seem to (might) have a problem in building a figure.

Okay so I am biting the bullet and trying to learn how to do figures. My first project is going to be posing (and later animating) a nice figure which I found online and disarticulated (cut into its component parts). Now, since I make (ostensibly) real-world things, I like to work with my grid units set to fixed and 1 and I essentially work to a scale of 1 grid unit = 1 foot. I seldom need to get down to a 1 grid unit = 1 inch scale (.08333) but I frequently set the grid to .333 (4 inches), .25 (3 inches) and .125 (1.5 inches) spacing as needed. I work in the 1 grid space = 1 foot scale until I am ready to export for the guy I mostly build for at which time I have found that a custom scaling of 30.303 yields models that my buddy doesn't need to scale to use in Daz 3D.

When I go into figure mode and start building a skeleton the scale is HUGE - at least from my perspective. My mannikin is just under 1 unit wide at the hips and only 6 units tall and 6 units wide with arms outstretched. When I go into figure mode the root bone is 5 units tall. !!!!!  Major problem with scale!  Here's my question. Can I a) scale the bones DOWN to match my figure parts or do I need to b) scale my parts UP to get me into a better correspondence with the figure mode? I have a sneaking suspicion the answer is going to be option "b" but I'm hoping that you guys will tell me a way that I can change the scale of the bones in figure mode to match the scale of my mannikin's parts.

With that I leave my latest dumb question in the community's capable hands.  

[Steve]

Can you post a project with your figure? I'll take a look at it and see what I can suggest.

[Old Codger]

Per your instructions, Stephen.
In the attached project file are 1) a base, un-disarticulated version of the model, 2) the pairs of individual parts, 3) the individual parts disarticulated but in their original position and the parts scaled 3X (a number that would easily scale up to what is needed for something like Daz). All objects are reasonably well named to indicate what they are. There is also the beginnings of a figure.
(note: had to compress the project file. The board balked at the original, uncompressed file)

[Steve]

The problem is that you have locked the scale for the grid to be 1 in the Object editor and 50 in the Scene editor. Try using the Auto setting. In the Options->Grid dialog select the Auto button in the Scaling section.

You also might want to use larger models. The scale of the lights and camera in the Scene editor are larger than your models, so if they are closer to the same size it will be easier to work with them.

[Old Codger]

Thanks for the update, Steve. Well I can certainly adjust the grid spacing in figure mode. As for over all scaling I think I'll solve the (purely for me) issue by scaling the objects up before trying to articulate them. The trick as I see it is going to be to scale up a usable fraction of the final scaling I have to do to get things to work for my buddy in Daz.

BTW, I have been posting renders and screen caps of my doodles over at Deviant Art. Is there a way to publish some of my stuff here? Or perhaps just publish a link to my DA page?

Also, I have a "legal" question. Would there be anything wrong with me putting some of my models up for sale on one of the 3D sites? Not sure anybody would actually PAY for my stuff but if I could make beer money once in a while . . . I've had a couple of folks suggest I put my poor doodles up on the web. But I would never do anything to reflect badly on the Anim9or community. I'm just sorta curious.

[Steve]

You can post photos and movies in the Finished Works and Works in Progress forum.

And, yes, you can sell anything that you create in Anim8or. See the About->License dialog for more details.